Scaffidi’s big move

Restaurant’s popularity puts it into larger location effective today

August 14, 2011

STEUBENVILLE - After being in business for about 22 months. Scaffidi's Pasta is taking a big leap today, opening its doors in a larger location in the Hollywood City Center.

Scaffidi's, owned by Dawn Scaffidi and her husband, Nino, will open its doors at noon today in the former Lenora's location. It's been extensively remodeled inside with a Tuscan decor, with the entrance off the side lot, where an outdoor cafe seating area also is available.

Patrons also will have the opportunity to watch the homemade pasta being mixed and rolled and stretched and cut through a special window off the main dining area into the pasta-making area.

Article Photos

A NEW HOME FOR SCAFFIDI’S — Dawn Scaffidi, holding Gino, age 4 months; and husband Nino, holding son Santino, 5, stand in the dining room of their larger Scaffidi’s Pasta restaurant, opening today at noon in the location that formerly was Lenora’s in the Hollywood City Center. The larger facility means more people can be accommodated, with better parking, a more convenient access for customers picking up carry-out orders and, below, a new outdoor seating area. The restaurant also features a large bar and lounge area separated from the dining room. -- Paul Giannamore

"We still have most of our family members working in back and we still make everything homemade," said Nino Scaffidi. "We expanded because there was a need to."

The Scaffidis had opened in a small house off one of the Hollywood City Center entrances fronting Sunset Boulevard in October of 2009. The idea was to provide the intimate feeling of eating at Grandma's dining room on a Sunday afternoon, complete with Grandma's kind of Italian cooking.

The cooking and atmosphere continue, but in a larger area, the Scaffidis said. The restaurant goes from

Fact Box

SCAFFIDI'S:

-- Scaffidi's Pasta opens today at noon in its new Hollywood City Center location, the former Lenora's.

-- The restaurant also offers carry-out or local business delivery. Call (740) 314-5233.

-- The new location features Tuscan decor, accommodations for more than 200 patrons, table and booth seating, a bar and lounge area, a special viewing window into the pasta-making area, and an outdoor seating area.

about 25 seats in its former location to being able to accommodate as many as 250, including the lounge area.

"We wanted to reach out to more customers. Now we have better seating, better parking, better handicapped access," Nino continued. "We were turning down parties, large reservations because we were limited by the size. Now we can be more accommodating."

In addition to a large dining area, there is a casual bar area and the restaurant is licensed for wine, liquor and beer. A bigscreen TV is in the bar area, and there's a seating room off the bar, too.

One feature the customer won't see is a children's playroom off the kitchen.

"We understand the demands of the restaurant business but we didn't want to take away from our family," he said. The Scaffidis sons, Santino, 5, and Gino, 4 months, will have their place in the restaurant as they grow.

The Scaffidis had hoped to grow eventually beyond the small location on Sunset, but the timetable went faster than they expected.

"We tried for five years to put together the idea and open the restaurant, and we were open there for nearly two. This location is really exciting," he said.

The Scaffidis had tried to have a large home further up Sunset Boulevard rezoned for their larger restaurant, but the proposal did not work out. Dawn said it all worked out for the best, with a great new location.

"When one door closes another opens, and fortunately, somebody was looking out for us," she said.

"We want to thank Mr. (Domenic) Teramana (owner and operator of the Hollywood City Center) for helping us achieve our dream," Nino Scaffidi said. "We also want to thank Lou Stein of Valley Ventures for being so instrumental in helping us to get to this point, for helping us every step of the way.

Dawn said, "We love Steubenville. It's our home. We love greeting people, and we meet so many people from other states who come for the Franciscan University of Steubenville and who tell us how we remind them of a place back home."

Her husband added, "It's nice to give them a small part of Steubenville, that they get to experience something that is homegrown, that gives Steubenville a nice experience for them."

They're also excited about the potential to accommodate more football fans this high school season, with ample parking and a location still within walking distance of Harding Stadium.

"We'll be open to pregame crowds and after. The bar will be open, and we can accommodate outside eating. We've got a large grill and we plan to grill stuffed peppers and other Italian foods. We'll be a place to meet before the game or after the game, with the stadium in walking distance and plenty of parking," Nino Scaffidi said.

His wife, his mother, Lucia Scaffidi and Dawn's mother, Teresa Lamantia, will continue to be in charge of the cooking.

The extensive and popular menu will expand a bit, with eggplant parmesan, a mild pepper pasta, pasta with pink sauce, and orancini (Italian fried rice balls), as well as provolone and zucchini sticks and made-to-order calzones.

Carry-out service remains available and is improved, too, with a separate door for pickup of carry-out orders, and curbside delivery will also be implemented. Scaffidis will continue to deliver to local businesses during business hours, too.

For carry-out orders or business delivery, contact Scaffidis at (740) 314-5233.

Scaffidis Pasta is open from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.